Skedaddle Ottawa – How Birds Get Into Your Home

In Ottawa, the two types of birds that most commonly nest inside homes are house sparrows and European starlings. These birds are some of the most commonly found in Ottawa, though neither is native to Canada. Both birds were brought to North America during the 1800s and have quickly adapted and flourished. Sparrows and starlings birds are considered cavity nesters meaning they prefer to build their nests during spring and summer inside holes that they find in trees or buildings and structures. Their ability to adapt their nesting habits to urban and suburban surroundings has led to rapid population growth since their introduction. When sparrows and starlings build a nest inside your house they can block ventilation systems, permanently stain bricks and siding with their droppings and cause severe odor issues. It’s best to hire a professional wildlife removal company to evict the birds and prevent their re-entry to avoid unnecessary damage. Here are the most common ways that birds get into houses:

Wall Vents

The vent openings found along the exterior walls of your home are usually exhausting air from dryers, bathroom fans and kitchen fans. There are many different types of covers for these vents but most are not wildlife or bird proof. Vent openings perfectly mimic the holes found in trees that birds would otherwise nest in. In new housing developments where there are no mature trees to be found, starlings nest in vent pipes instead. When birds fill these pipes with straw, twigs and grass they prevent the normal flow of air and can cause appliances to fail. Blockages can also force fans to overheat and catch fire.

Roof Vents

Like the vents found along the walls of your home, the vents on your roof are also a much loved bird nesting spot. These vents are designed to help your attic breathe and allow hot, stale and moist air to escape. [caption id="attachment_5605" align="alignnone" width="900"] When starlings nest inside roof vents they block the vent and excess nesting material falls to the attic floor[/caption] When these vents become blocked with bird nests the hot air inside the attic gets trapped. If that air is allowed to sit it will damage shingles and produce mold in the attic. With the extreme temperatures that Ottawa experiences, a properly functioning attic can help reduce energy bills and extend the life of your roof.

Gaps between Brick and Soffit

When soffits are installed at the roof line they seldom meet completely flush with the exterior brick. This is especially true for textured brick and stone. Sparrows love the squeeze into this gap to nest, filling soffits and reducing attic air flow. [caption id="attachment_5097" align="alignnone" width="900"] These starling have stained the stone with droppings[/caption]

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control 

The best way to prevent having to deal with unexpected and costly repairs due to bird infestations is prevention. Keep an eye on your roof line and if you spot birds coming and going or see droppings accumulating on your home it’s important to act quickly. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has been humanely and skillfully removing birds from homes in Ottawa for over twenty years. Once the birds are out our technicians will block their entry and clean up the nasty mess. Ask about our lifetime guarantee.